Star Trek: The Next Generation: Terra Incognita (#1 of 6)

“Following their clash with their villainous doubles from the Mirror Universe, the Enterprise crew returns to business as usual, little realizing one of their own has been replaced! What does Mirror Barclay want, and what’s to become of his Prime-universe counterpart?!”

Category: Returning to a Beloved World

Why I’m Excited: Given that The Next Generation was Star Trek series that never went to the mirror universe in episodes, when the first Tipton mini hit last year, I devoured it. The authors have the Next Gen voices down (slightly tweaked, for the mirror universe), and the focus here on Barclay makes me think that there might be a place for a schmuck me on the Enterprise.

IDW Publishing

Britannia: Lost Eagles of Rome

Publisher: ValiantWords/Story: Peter MilliganArt/Colors: Robert Gill

“Antonius Axia, history’s first detective, launches into an otherworldly mystery of monsters, magic, and conspiracy at the boundaries of human understanding. In the mist-shrouded Germanic forest of Tottenwald, the unthinkable has happened: A rampaging barbarian horde has crushed three of Rome’s most highly skilled detachments in battle, and captured their mighty Roman eagles. What began as a simple mission will soon become a terrifying journey into the dark heart of belief itself as the isolated woodlands of Rome’s enemies reveal unseen dimensions . . . and the true power of the legion’s lost eagles threatens to consume any who would pursue them . . . ?”

Category: Returning to a Beloved World

Why I’m Excited: I have loved the two prior Britannia series, not only for the art but for the attention to the cultural details of the Roman Empire. Writer Peter Milligan has melded the tones of Ghost Hunters and Game of Thrones: equal parts spooky and thrilling. And I have previously come away knowing the more about this early civilization than I realized I wanted to know. Fun and surprisingly educational.

Valiant Comics

Eden (#1 of 4)

“2714. The Earth has been conquered by a brutal alien race. Our only hope is a team of unlikely heroes, led by the planet’s most formidable warrior, Brigadier General Neriah Willis. The utopian world of Eden offers refuge, but our heroes quickly discover something far more sinister is at play.”

Category: Emerging Talent

Why I’m Excited: More and more publishers are trying new things to get you interested in their offerings. The ones not backed by “swallowing the world” corporate parents are moving toward limited or finite series, with this one even coming out on newsprint. (In a world where arbitrary #1s seem to garner more attention than they likely deserve, it’s worth pausing for a moment of reflection on whether this column is feeding the monster. I think it’s a chicken-and-egg question that will only result in existential crisis, so I’ll try to stay away from that one.)

Eden looks to be the type of story that would have been started on ’80s TV as a movie of the week; if the ratings were good, there may have been a half-season pick up. Approaching comics like a TV season can allow creators to get hands around a story, to both tighten the narrative—no mysteries of what’s behind those doors (see: New Avengers #26), never revisited—and to allow the characters noticeable growth—better if the toys don’t need to go back on the corporate shelf. I really like that comics are exploring new ways to tell stories, and they can could take a point from some of Netflix’s shows and even vary the length of some episodes (chapters) to assure pace and tone don’t fall victim to commercial or trade-paperback required breaks. My predictions is that ultimately the experimentation will result in a new golden age. While the market moves, so will the stories; it’s an exciting time to be enjoying this medium.

Alterna Comics

The Mall

“This coming of age crime story takes place in a small Florida town at the height of the ’80s. When the head of the Cardini Mob Family mysteriously dies, his three illegitimate children each inherit a store in the mall. While the stores front as legal businesses, the real money is the back room. The kids are thrust into a world of crime, all the while just trying to survive normal high school life. It’s like a John Hughes Godfather movie.

Category: Returning to a Beloved World

Why I’m Excited: I bet you’re wondering, “What world is this returning to?” As a kid of the ’80s and someone from Minnesota, home of both the first indoor mall and the former largest shopping center in the world, I feel like I spent more time in food courts as a teen than I did awake in my own house. I still laugh at Mall Rats, and I may be overly fond John Hughes (Career Opportunities on DVD, anyone?). So my attraction to The Mall is pure nostalgia. The cover pays homage to The Breakfast Club, and I will give it a try just for that.

Scout Comics

If you pick up any of these comics this week, let me know your thoughts.